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Please Do! Judge Me!

“I would suggest that, in our day and age, we need more—not less—judgment.” Last night at Thirdplace we talked about being judgmental. We focused on 1 Corinthians 5:9-12. I really enjoyed the insights people shared about why we judge others and what the “tapes” that play in our head sound like. Here is a 2 minute video from Francis Chan on where judgement belongs and under that is the article that I quoted briefly form last night.

Have a great week everyone! Be quick to look in the mirror and take an honest assessment of where your own life needs correction and be quicker to deal with what you find there… than focusing on others.

One thought on “Please Do! Judge Me!”

Not sure why Francis Chan would juxtapose judging those outside the church and those within the church. They’re not mutually exclusive. Certain types of judgments should be reserved for certain situations.

James 2:13 and Romans 14:13 do not differentiate judgments between intent and actions. James 4:11 comes close, “He that speaks evil of his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law, and judges the law.” 1st Corinthians 5:10-11 lists a series of actions of which we should not judge the secular community: sexually immoral, covetous, extortioners, and idolaters; and verse 13 finally mentions a judgment of intent for those within the church: “But them that are without God judges. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”

A wicked person, not wicked deeds, not someone with wicked habits, but a person who is wicked. That goes beyond judging actions. The red letters of Matthew 7:2 finally surfaces the idea of different types of judgments, “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged.”

Those who impulsively judge intents are cruel and foolish. Those who make no judgments are naïve machines. Those who judge actions with reason, can make generalizations, from which all wisdom emanates.

If someone you’re close to, who’s within the church, explains their motives and intents behind an action, and asks you to help them, it would not be Right to reply, “I’m sorry, but I’m not going to judge your intents or motivations.”

If you’re a witness to a deadly school shooting, it would also not be Right to declare, “I’m not going to judge the actions that shooter is committing. I’m a Christian and I’m called to not judge anyone.” Their actions are clearly wrong, and while most of these evil actions are committed by evil people, the Christian should always allow for a possible exception in their intents. Maybe the school shooter was being directed by someone who held hostages of his family, the President, or a larger group of innocent children.

From the article: “Modern Americans suffer from a fear of judging…Our culture tells us, we are all flawed people, and people with flaws have no right to judge other people’s flaws.”

This is especially true for the church community, even more so for the youth culture. There are many reasons for this trend, but one element that is definitely part of it: lack of desire to confront such difficult issues.

It’s rare to have an encounter with a truly evil person. If our only experience with true evil is thought experiments, it’s all too easy to remain in your comfort zone, and resort to nothing but the L-word. We’re morally obligated to judge and fight evil ideas. At what point do we apply that obligation to someone who has committed themselves to preaching, practicing, and carrying out such evil? Police officers and members of the military are forced to confront this difficult issue. It should not be seen as too tall a task for someone who claims to follow Christ.